exploited
Americanadjective
-
utilized or made practical use of, especially for profit.
Edible insects are a widely exploited food source among many of the world’s Indigenous populations.
-
used selfishly by someone for their own ends.
Every one of these exploited workers shared stories of their inhumane working conditions and their determination to fight back.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of exploited
Explanation
Something that's exploited is fully taken advantage of. Fear is probably the most commonly exploited emotion used by directors of horror films. Exploited talents are ones that have been put to good use. And resources that are exploited are being used advantageously. However, this word is quite often used in a more negative way, to mean "used in a victimizing way." In some countries, exploited children are forced to work long hours in bad conditions. When animals are used to test shampoo, most people agree these critters are also exploited.
Vocabulary lists containing exploited
The Hate U Give
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President Trump's First State of The Union Address (2018)
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President Obama announces Executive Action on Gun Control
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ohl criticised the "biological view" being pushed online that the human body is "capital" to be exploited by taking chemical substances to improve one's physical appearance.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Anticorruption efforts mustn’t be exploited, and the chaotic practice of ‘hyping up corruption’ must be curbed,” the official party newspaper of Sichuan province said in a commentary.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
What they should have been told was that they were being exploited.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Patel’s style has been built around dark insinuation, and in this case his phrasing was official enough to seem consequential, yet vague enough to be exploited.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Free hunting was a tactic the Soviet Air Force exploited in 1943 and assigned to experienced fighter pilots of exceptional talent.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
